census lookup and info on Henry Abel

I'm having difficulty in searching for a Henry Abel, father of Phillip Jacob Abel. Phillip was born in Germany in 1854,18-10-1854 but I have been told through another list, that Germany wasn't Germany in that year. I have no other specifics, only that Henry married a Elizabeth Schneider,Henry was a farmer.Far as I know that Henry was English, but I'm starting to have second thoughts as he could be German too.